Social Responsibility
Created on 2001
This Committee was created after the successful I Symposium on Business Social Responsibility in the Americas that took place in Caracas, Venezuela in 2001, under the support of PDVSA, ARPEL and Venancham. Since September 2007, the Committee merged with the Relations with Indigenous Peoples Working Group, which worked under its umbrella, according to the new ARPEL strategic guidelines that foster the integration of contents and people. It is centered to the exchange of experiences and definition of best practices of Social Responsibility (SR), with focus on community relations. The Relations with Indigenous Peoples Working Group –now integrated to this Committee- was created to contribute to industry's understanding on issues to be addressed to develop projects in harmony in environmentally sensitive regions inhabited by indigenous peoples. During 1998-2003 represented the regional petroleum sector by participating of the regional tripartite dialogue -indigenous peoples, governments and the industry- promoted by the World Bank and OLADE (Latin American Energy Organization) in the context of the Energy, Environment and Population Program.
Objectives
- Create awareness in ARPEL Member Companies and the Latin American and Caribbean Region, on the need for and benefits of Social Responsibility.
- To foster the exchange of experiences and knowledge among Member Companies and among them and other institutions.
- To share and foster best practices for the industry and analyze the benefits that represent for the company and the society.
- To interact with governmental, non-governmental and civil society organizations to foster the implementation of networks and partnerships that promote effective actions of Social Responsibility.
- To promote the organization and management of a knowledge community on Social Responsibility in the Latin America and the Caribbean region.
- To manage Social Responsibility projects in the region
Achievements
- Assessment of present status of Social Responsibility in Member Companies and elaboration of an action plan for this area.
- Organization and dissemination of 4 Symposiums on Business Social Responsibility in the Americas to create awareness on the importance of BSR and how to manage it.
- Exchange of experiences and knowledge on best practices about Social Responsibility among Member Companies and with other business sectors and institutions.
- Fostering of Social Responsibility best practices for the Oil & Gas Industry in Latin America and the Caribbean, and implementation of a Social Responsibility toolbox including guidelines and presentation of cases.
- Relevant network of experts and institutions involved.
- Active participation in the elaboration of guidelines for the development of social and environmental best practices in the Region through the Relations with Indigenous Peoples Working Group now incorporated to the Committee.
- Recognition of ARPEL - by governments and indigenous peoples - as a valid and representative interlocutor of industry in the regional tripartite dialogue.
- The Report “Reference framework for a social-environmental regulatory process: tripartite dialogue government, indigenous peoples and industry in the Sub-Andean basin”, developed in the context of the regional tripartite dialogue reflects the consensus and discrepancies of the three players on this issue. ARPEL leaded the process to develop the document and to accomplish the consensus
Activities
At present, the Committee is focused on the Development of a Community Relations Management System. The elements of this system have already been defined and agreed best practices among Members will be developed. Once the system is defined baselines and gaps will be established for the implementation of a continuous improvement process in the management of community relations as support to excellence in management, that later will be expanded to other areas of Social Responsibility. The Committee is also working on other relevant issues such as:
- In the context of the EEP (Energy, Environment and Population) Program of the World Bank to re-start the Tripartite Dialogue Industry, Governments and Indigenous Peoples at national level and further on as National Dialogues advance at Regional level.
- In the promotion of Communities Sustainable Development Projects with the participation of local and national governments, industry and representatives of the involved community.
- In the organization of the 2009 ARPEL Annual Conference, in its related aspects for the implementation of the ARPEL strategy.
- In the increase of virtual interaction among Member Companies through the development of networks involving the members of Committees and specialists.
For these activities the Committee will count with the support of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
The ARPEL Member Companies participating of this Committee are: ANCAP, CHEVRON, ECOPETROL (Vice chair), ENAP, EXXONMOBIL, IBP, PCJ, PEMEX, PETROBRAS (Alternate Chair), PETROECUADOR, PETROPERU, PLUSPETROL (Vice chair), REPSOLYPF (Chair), SHELL, STATOIL, TOTAL y WINTERSHALL
Managers
The Project Manager of this committee is Amanda Pereira.
